The Failures' Journey
by IrateWritreviewer
Summary: Failures exist everywhere. It's just that people won't accept that they are failures and strive on to be the extraordinary. When little Naruto defends a lone Chimchar who was born without the usage of fire, he joins the Chimp Pokemon into an adventure in Kanto, in where both of them will experience adventure, friendship, action and the drive to prove themselves in the world.
1. Chapter 1

"_Keep going, Naruto! Let your flames of youth burn strong!"_

_Despite the questionable phrase, the fists and open palms kept striking the logs with incredible vigour, agility and strength. Blonde hair kept swerving and blue eyes completely focused with drive as the strikes began to chip the log. In one final push, he cocked his fist back and, with immense power, swung his fist towards the log…_

"_RAAAAAAAAAH!"_

… _and broke the log in two. The splinters flew everywhere and the part that broke off flew in the air and landed in a 'thump'. Panting could be heard as the fighter struggled to stand. Sweat poured down his face, adorned with three whisker marks on his cheeks. Bandages on his hands were damaged, drenched with sweat and blood freely dripping. His karate robe was ruined beyond belief. After a few silent moments, his legs gave way and his eyes closed, but he felt himself caught. All he heard was soft, yet uplifting praise from his mentor and proud auras from his friends._

"_You really have done it, Naruto. I'm proud."_

'_It only felt like yesterday… like we were family. A real family… no neglecting… '_

Black clothing flowed freely in the wind. A cloaked boy stood out at the top of a hill, the wind freely flowing in his face. His hands were outfitted with black fighting gloves and forearm warmers. Both of them were not moving, not twitching in the slightest movement, like they were waiting with anticipation. His feet were adorned in black combat books and leg warmers, planted firmly into the ground. His hair, dyed black, and his eyes, with red contacts, looked downwards into the town up ahead. A sign nearby had the words that stated the city's name: "Pewter City".

"Chimchar, it's time! Are you ready!?" The boy called out from behind. He felt a small, but tough, hand touch my shoulder, then the full weight of the Chimp Pokemon. Black irises, a tuft of red fur and a round face, with a red flaming headband looked forward at the town with slight amazement. It has been a while since they reached civilization, and for good reason, too.

"_Hah! Look at him! This little loser!"_

"_He can't even breathe fire! What kind of fire type is he if he can't use fire?!"_

"_It was fate that made him like this. A failure!"_

_A group of kids and Pokemon closed in on the Chimchar, the Chimp Pokemon. His black eyes had tears that ran down his cheeks. His big ears were dirty and a bit of blood came from its mouth. Its body were covered in bruises and stains of dirt. But the biggest eyebrow-raiser is the fact that there was no fire behind the Chimchar. Just a red mark and a small stub of a tail._

_The Chimp Pokemon couldn't remember its past, but he knew that it was born with that defect. Ostracized from its family, hated by peers and Pokemon alike, he felt like a loner and wanted to discover why he was born like this... like a failure. Here he was, being fodder to the large crowd of kids and Pokemon. Being beaten up, insulted for its performance in battles, being drenched by Water Pokemon, and overall it was a virtual pariah to the kids. Perhaps… it should just give in… maybe it was a failur-._

"_LEAVE IT ALONE!"_

_Its eyes shot up and felt a shadow cover him. All it saw was a boy, with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a red shirt and cargo pants, with his arms spread protectively around the Chimchar. Afterwards though, the Chimp blacked out._

Chimchar frowned at the memory of the past, as it brought back nightmares that could scar anybody's mentality. At the same time, the frown raised into a smile to its face as it could remember its first and only human friend and trainer. Its hands, wrapped in weighted bandages, gripped and tightened with excitement as it could finally prove its worth and existence. Its feet, also wrapped in weighted bandages tensed.

"Chim…" Chimchar murmured quietly. However, silence was the only response it got.

"Chimchar…" The boy's voice became deathly all of a sudden, which slightly confused and unnerved the Chimp.

"Char?"

"I said…" The boy's voice suddenly belted out, "ARE YOU READY, CHIMCHAR!?" The sudden rise of volume, vigour, character and youthful flames burst out of the boy.

"CHIM CHIMCHAAAR!" The Chimchar raised its voice as it yelled out its agreement, rather than shrieking back at the sudden change. It has waited for this, and so did its black-cloaked trainer.

"Great! Onwards to the Pewter City Gym, or my name isn't Naruto!" The blond, now known as Naruto, walked on towards civilization, with Chimchar, his best friend, on his shoulder.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello everyone! Irate here with another story. Could be a possible one-shot, but who knows? It IS "Just a thought".<strong>

**Whoever was waiting for the next chapter of "A Road to One's Ideals", I'm sorry. It has been a long and arduous time, like work, uni, tutors, classes, and creating my own Let's Play! Keep an eye out for that! I'm not starting with a Pokemon game though, so don't get your hopes up. **

**I don't think anybody in this Pokemon x Naruto crossover story list ever done a story where the Pokemon sorta have the movesets and possibly the behaviour of the characters from Naruto. Also, you never see a fire Pokemon who cannot breathe fire in the anime innately (Don the Charizard does not count). Don't worry. Little Chimchar here (I won't name Pokemon) will have other means of attacking.**

**You can already tell that the Chimchar has the attitude and style of Rock Lee. I always saw a Rock Lee/Maito Gai persona in Infernape, especially in the anime. Plus Gai makes an appearance! Aren't you happy?**

**Anyway, we shall see if this will continue on! Happy Holidays!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or Naruto. However, the twists are all me.**

* * *

><p><em>"So… why can't he breathe fire, Professor Jiji?"<em>

_Little Naruto, sporting a couple of wounds, had a worried look plastered with his face, as he stared at both the wrecked Chimp Pokemon and the Pokemon professor wearing a lab coat, fixing up the bruises of said Pokemon._

_Professor Hiruzen Sarutobi, a very old professor past his prime, was working on the injuries of the unconscious Chimchar, during the middle of a stormy day. The old man had a grey goatee, balding grey hair and wrinkled skin. His large smoking pipe was in his mouth, puffing out smoke. He is the most famous professors of the Kanto region and one of the professors around the world, like Professor Onoki of Johto and Professor A of Sinnoh. The professor is also the headmaster of the prestigious Konoha Pokemon Academy, where Naruto has attended. The littler blond boy has looked up to the old man as if he was a grandpa, and wanted to learn many things about him._

_One of the facts was that Sarutobi was once a legendary Pokemon trainer during his prime. The fact was proven true when the professor showed his Charizard, a large Lizard Pokemon with orange scales, a draconic visage, a white underbelly, snout, wings and a tail with a large flame on its back. Naruto could just tell from its eyes and the powerful aura that his jiji was right. Many other students were skeptical and a couple of students even outright denied his claims of the championship (like a certain black-haired emo that comes to mind)._

_Another fact was that the professor had a young grandson named Konohamaru, after the Konoha Pokemon Academy. He was only 4 years old, so there was not much he could do in terms of understanding Pokemon deeply yet. But he looks up to Naruto with stars of amazement in his eyes whenever he sees Naruto do amazing things, like communicate with Pokemon and bond with them easily._

"… _I did not think that this is happen…" The old man mumbled to himself as he finished looking at the X-ray photos, checking on Chimchar's bone structure and organs to make sure they were not damaged, only to find a shocking discovery that made his pipe drop to the ground. And Naruto knew, 'when Jiji's pipe falls, something bad has happened.'_

"…_Jiji? Is… is Chimchar…?" Naruto asked, hoping that death is the least of his worries._

"_Hmm… it's fine, Naruto-kun. Just rest and a spray of a Potion will help. It's just…" Sarutobi trailed off. He has never seen such a phenomenon before, but it was indeed there, and it cannot be denied._

"_It's just what?!" Naruto asked again, a little impatient. He calmed a little that the Chimp wasn't going to die, but seeing the pipe fall still had him on the edge._

"_The reason why Chimchar cannot breathe fire is possibly... well, take a look, Naruto-kun." The old man offered space to Naruto to take a look on the X-ray photos on Chimchar's diagram of organs. Sarutobi then pointed a wrinkled finger on a picture of an oddly shaped stomach in the middle of Chimchar's belly. "That is his stomach, a place where he should be able to produce fire. A certain part of the organ, however, is missing and that is what is causing Chimchar's fire power to be non-existent." He explained to Naruto, before pulling out a diagram of a different Chimchar, but this time, the stomach looked bigger and was split into two parts._

"_Now normally, when food and acid goes into the stomach of a Chimchar, it breaks down into fuel. That is where the second part of Chimchar's stomach comes into play. The scientifically named flame sac is where the chemical energy from the foods and acids transform into fuel that connects directly into Chimchar's rectum and produces the flame. For some reason… this Chimchar here does not have that organ… It is almost like Chimchar's defected..." Sarutobi finished explaining and sighed. If Chimchar was awake, then the old man would give it his condolences. How cruel can the fates be?_

_Hiruzen then picked up the X-ray photos and turned to look at Naruto, and the emotions he saw on Naruto's face widened his eyes._

"_Defected…? You mean… a failure…?!" Naruto snarled at the old man, his little hands curled into fists. Sarutobi knew it was a sensitive subject to utter the word 'failure'._

"_Naruto… I did not mean that." He calmly stated, while seeing Naruto visibly calm down, but kept the frown on his face and crosses his arms in disgust._

_Naruto always did get riled up when the students called him the dead-last. He could tolerate being called something as low as the 'dobe', the loser or the dead-last. But being called a failure, Naruto would not take it. He taught some of the boys a lesson on that, like when he pranked a duck-haired boy into being roasted by Sarutobi's Charizard, another with buckets of Mudkip and Poochyena piss, and a certain 'white-eyed prick' (a quoted nickname from Naruto himself) by locking him in the school freezer overnight... _

_Repeatedly._

_Because he wouldn't shut up._

_Ever._

_All because they called him a failure, and Naruto will not take that, and for some reason, he isn't willing to let it go. "Brings up bad memories," the blond would answer back and was left at that._

_Naruto then walked up to the bed where Chimchar laid and looked at him with somber eyes. "Chimchar… he's like me. Being called a failure because of a reason it doesn't know or of something out of its control. But you shouldn't stay down because of that." Sarutobi was intrigued by Naruto's words, all because he knew that feeling himself._

"_Really…"_

"_Yes really! Didn't you experience something like that, Jiji?" Naruto's head snapped towards his grandpa figure, only to see him deep in thought._

"_Yes… Pokemon I caught were sometimes uncooperative or fearful of certain elements of the world. But we learn to overcome them and that's what makes us grow." Sarutobi looked into space as he recollected his memories as a trainer. It certainly was a wild and interesting time when Charizard kept being defiant and flaming his face when he was young. "But what does this have to do with you and Chimchar?"_

_When the professor looked back, he saw a serious look on the 7-year-old Naruto's face. His eyes were sharpened and his mouth in a stern frown. It was so unlike him. "When you reach an unbreakable hurdle, Jiji, you don't keep ramming into it. You learn to go over the hurdle and become stronger in your own way. Chimchar doesn't need fire to prove that he's the best… There is always another way…" Naruto's face then softened up, his eyebrows relaxed and eyes somber. The boy turned to the bedded Chimp Pokemon, still asleep, and smiled. "Besides…" He turned back to his Jiji, with a bright smile._

"_It takes a failure… to know a failure best."_

_Sarutobi widened his eyes in amazement on how far Naruto's maturity has come. He has always known Naruto as a smiling boy, who isn't one to be messed with, but to see this side of him… it felt like he skipped a part of his life to see a man standing in his place._

'_Reminds me of Minato-kun… you must be proud of your son, if you ever acknowledged him…' Sarutobi thought. For some reason, he felt younger when he heard this...  
><em>

_Unbeknownst to the two, the lone Chimchar has one of its eyes opened and saw the blond boy give his speech. Smiling at the display, it closed its eyes and went back to sleep._

**.o0o.**

'_No matter what, we WILL be the best, Chimchar!'_

"So this is Pewter City..." Naruto looked at Pewter City with amazement, even if it was not that spectacular of a town to other people.

"Chaaaar…" Chimchar looked around in wonder as well, just like Naruto. Both of them have not seen civilization for a good three years. All they did was be in the forests, traveling in the wild and train with their new wandering green-spandex-wearing sensei as apprentices. When he found them almost exhausted and hungry, he brought them in his humble abode and took care of them. When they woke, they immediately noticed him tending to a campfire and took note of his… eccentric personality.

'_FLAMES OF YOOOOOOOUTH…!'_ An eccentric voice echoed loudly in Naruto's mind, suppressing it as best as he can.

"You ready for the first gym, Chimchar?" Naruto asked with brimming confidence.

"Chaha!" Chimchar affirmed that declaration.

"Good! Let's show them our flames of power!" **(1)** Both trainer and Pokemon fist-bumped each other, feeling each other's power and confidence. It was their sign of friendship and that they were partners for their career as trainers.

Naruto then opened the stone doors to reveal darkness inside. Tightening his fist, he entered inside. As the doors shut behind him, he began to notice the rocky terrain beneath him. Naruto and Chimchar were still standing strong and confident…

"**So you must be a challenger, I see?"**

But apparently, the gym leader must love doing theatrics. Naruto stopped his walking immediately and instinctively backed away into a fighting stance, with him and Chimchar trying to see where the voice is coming from.

"Yes. My name is-." Naruto froze. He completely forgot about this. How could he have not done this in the first place?

He needed a new alibi.

**.o0o.**

_**Pitter-patter pitter-patter**_

_The rain kept splashing down from the heavens to the fertile Earth. The tiny Pokemon who lives in the woodlands ran for shelter or back into their homes. The only sounds were the rain, and the howling winds._

_**Pitter-patter pitter-patter**_

_Leaning by a large tree trunk, a little Naruto could be seen holding a bandaged Chimchar, still asleep. He was panting as he just got a safe spot after running away with said Pokemon. He didn't know what condemned him to run away. He didn't know what condemned him further to take Chimchar too._

_**Pitter-patter pitter-patter**_

_Maybe he should go back to Konoha Academy? Back to Jiji's arms? Bring Chimchar back to its home?_

"_No." He couldn't. After the treatment for what the Chimp Pokemon got? There was no way he wanted this Chimchar to suffer again. To be beaten to the ground for something that is not its fault… Naruto would take it away to safety, even if it made him wanted._

_Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto would disappear, but for the sake of one Pokemon he could relate to._

"_Don't worry… I'll take care of you…"_

_**Pitter-patter pitter-patter**_

**.o0o.**

"**Name is?"**

"M-Menma." Naruto sputtered out, but kept his confident visage. It was the only name he could think of that was related to ramen. Oh how he loved ramen, but that is another story for another time.

"**Menma-san, hm? Never heard of that name… Doesn't matter."**

By now, spotlights turned on to reveal a man standing under the light. Naruto turned around only to widen his eyes. A man with hair tied up in a ponytail was in the spotlights, with a serious look on his face. He had a black turtleneck, green vest, sandals, blue pants, blue gloves, tanned skin and a noticeable horizontal scar across his nose. The black-haired boy and Chimp Pokemon could say nothing as they recognized the visage of the man in front of them.

"I-Iruka-sensei?"

"Eh? How did you know that was my name, Menma-san?" Iruka tilted his head in slight confusion and narrowed his eyes. He was suspicious of this… Menma character… Naruto felt those eyes boring into his skull.

"W-W-Weeelllll…"

"Chaaaaaar…" Naruto and Chimchar frantically tried to come up with a reason, but nothing came up. Both of them were beginning to sweat as Iruka began to walk towards them.

"Who are you really?" Iruka's eyes narrowed further. Naruto was getting closer into hot water, and he could literally feel the head coming from Iruka's heat-filled glare. But as Iruka got closer, his eyes then widened at the identity of this… Menma character. "Could you really be…?" Naruto closed his eyes as he felt himself shrink as he thought he figured out his identity. The blond boy felt as if he was caught red-handed.

"I…I'm so-…"

"…A FAN?! OF ME?!" **(2)**

Naruto stopped in his tracks and just stared at his ex-sensei with a dumb expression. 'What…?'

"Oh it has been so long since I had a fan! No one really appreciates me anymore since I'm usually the first Gym for beginners. But it doesn't matter! I have a fan!" Iruka had a large smile on his face and puffed his chest in pride. Naruto and Chimchar could only trip and fall over. "Iruka! Gym Leader of Pewder City and teacher of the Konoha Pokemon Acad-!"

"It doesn't matter!" Naruto interrupted, wanting this ridiculous tirade to end. Iruka looked at him and, seeing the embarrassing look on his face, decided to end his little news line.

"So you're not-?"

"No Iruka-sense… I mean, Iruka-san. I'm not a fan. Instead…" Naruto sighed and looked away, cursing himself inwardly with the slip of the tongue. He can't give away his true identity. Not now… "I came here to challenge you, Iruka, gym leader of Pewter City!" He pointed a finger and smirked, feeling his confidence coming back to him.

"Chim-char!" Chimchar cried out and raised its fist, feeling the confidence coming back once again. Iruka can only smile at the duo, then smirk at the challenge issued.

"Alright then, Menma-san! I, Iruka Umino, hereby accept your challenge! We shall have this battle immediately!" Iruka stated and snapped his fingers. More lights turned on suddenly and Naruto and Chimchar suddenly found themselves in the middle of a rocky battlefield. Mid-sized boulders arranged the arena.

"Alright!" Naruto pumped his fist up, with Chimchar along the way, as he made his way to the end of the battlefield, with Iruka on the other side. This is it. His first battle against a Gym Leader. Both of them were prepared for this, from the training to the trainers they fought. Now it was their first ultimate test.

"Okay, Menma-san, are you ready?!" Iruka called from the other side. Naruto nodded, and Iruka smiled. "Since this is your first time, I'll give you the rules! It is a 2-on-2 battle and you can substitute as many times as you want! I, however, am not allowed! That's basically it! Now let us begin the session!" Iruka then tossed out a Pokeball and revealed a small rock Pokemon, with eyes, a mouth and two arms.

"Geodude!" It cried out in a curt voice. Naruto then nudged Chimchar on the shoulder and nodded when the Chimp looked at him, waiting to be sent out. Chimchar then hopped off Naruto and stood up straight against the Geodude, something that confused Iruka.

"Um Menma-san, you know that Fire types are weak to Rock, right?" Iruka asked in a deadpanned voice. Menma couldn't be that stupid.

"Iruka-baka! You're the one who should be worried!" Menma countered in a brash voice, with his eye twitching. Chimchar also narrowed its eyes and tightened its fist. "Now Chimchar! **Focus Punch**!"

Chimchar then gripped its fist tightly, gathering energy within. Half a second later, the Chimchar charged in with its fist glowing blue.

"Egh!" Iruka then snapped himself out of his stupor and issued a command to Geodude. "Use **Mega Punch**, Geodude!"

Geodude cocked its fist back as it glowed white and charged. However, it did not have enough time to power its fist up and as they both collided, Chimchar's **Focus Punch **broke right through the **Mega Punch** and crashed right into Geodude.

The Rock Pokemon cried out in pain, but Chimchar was not done yet. The Chimp's other hand rammed the Geodude's face with a palm strike. Geodude was sent flying and crashed into a nearby boulder.

'_Whoa! I seriously underestimated that Chimchar!'_ Iruka thought to himself, stunned by the speed and power the Chimchar had. He then saw the stance Chimchar was using. Its legs were bent and its torso was lowered. Its right hand was in front of Chimchar, flattened out with the palm facing its face, while the left was behind Chimchar, curled in a fist. **(3) **_'What stance could that be? I've never seen it before. What kind of Chimchar is this?'_

"Geodude! Get up and use **Rollout**!" Iruka trying a different strategy as the Geodude hopped out of the debris and curled itself into a ball and began to charge right at Chimchar. Naruto however smirked at this.

"Dodge with **Acrobatics**, and power a **Focus Punch** at the same time!" Naruto commanded calmly. Chimchar tightened one of its fists and dodged the incoming Geodude the first time with handstands, cartwheels and flips, all while gathering energy in one of its fists.

'_The Chimchar is bound to slip up soon, but…'_ Iruka had a small feeling that wasn't going to be it. Menma was still smirking. _'What is he planning?'_

As the fifth Rollout charged in like a speeding bullet tank that can't stop, Naruto finally called out.

"Chimchar, **Grass Knot**! Then, smack'em!"

Chimchar's eyes glowed green and two blades of green grass popped out of the ground and tied together firmly. Geodude couldn't stop and collided with the knot pretty hard, and was sent flying towards Chimchar. With the coup de grace, Chimchar then landed the heavily powered **Focus Punch**, and directed the punch on Geodude towards the ground.

A large cloud of dust erupted and Iruka shielded his eyes. When it cleared, Chimchar was clearly standing, and its fist was connected to a Geodude who had swirls in its eyes. "Geo…" The Geodude weakly said.

"Alright Chimchar!" Naruto called out enthusiastically and pumped his fist out. Chimchar calmly bowed to the Geodude respectively, who weakly returned it with a thumbs-up. Iruka can only stare as he brought out Geodude's Pokeball and returned it.

'_Wow, such an honourable duo. You don't really meet any trainer and Pokemon with such dignity. And the moves they used against Geodude's Rollout… Grass Knot from a Fire-type I haven't seen before, and it really must've hurt. Impressive tactics, you two.'_ Iruka was really amazed by the two from what he saw. From the bow to the powerful moves Chimchar performed, it was really quite impressive, but... there was something… familiar about this… Menma and Chimchar.

"Iruka! Send out your next Pokemon!" Naruto called out, breaking Iruka out of his stupor.

"Well, you've done well to make it this far. I didn't expect those elaborate moves from your Chimchar… Quite impressive!" He gave a big smile, before immediately turning serious. "I hope you can give a good lesson! Onix, you're next!" He called, before he threw his Pokeball. Out came a large rock snake Pokemon in a brilliant flash of light. Chimchar did not look fazed from the large Pokemon when it let out a roar.

"RRRRRRRRROOOOOAAAAAAARRR!" It cried out to intimidate its foe, but Chimchar did not falter. Instead, it gave a smirk, as if to say, "Finally, a challenge!"

"Don't underestimate Onix, Chimchar. I know that smirk you always have when you get excited fighting strong opponents." Naruto reminded, causing Chimchar to nod without looking at its trainer. The Chimp Pokemon eyes softened a little as to respect Onix's power than judge it. Both of them knew they will not spoil themselves in arrogance through judging their opponent's strength. Onix can only stare at the Pokemon, knowing that this isn't your standard Fire-type and prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

"Meet my last Pokemon, Menma! This is Onix!" Iruka introduced, with a smile beaming of pride, until his eyes turned back to the battle. "Onix, start the battle off with **Rock Tomb**!" The large snake used its large tail to gather debris and launch it towards the Chimp Pokemon.

"Chimchar, use **Acrobatics** to hop on the rocks, then prepare **Focus Punches** on Onix when you reach the top!" Naruto commanded, and Chimchar did just that. Using its acrobatic moves, it somersaulted, flipped and twirled with amazing agility on the incoming rocks on the collision course towards the red chimp, and when it reached the top, both of its hands glowed with focused energy.

"Not going to happen! Onix, use **Dragon Tail **to defend yourself! Don't let Chimchar close to you!" Iruka yelled out. Onix's tail began to glow blue and was going to smack Chimchar from underneath. The Chimp noticed the attack coming and did not have enough time to make it towards Onix's head itself, so it turned both fists towards the tail and slammed them on it. The result was a power struggle between the two before both of them recoiled backwards and Chimchar was launched backwards flipping in the air.

"Now use **Rock Tomb** again, now that it's in the air!" Iruka commanded the Onix. The large rock snake grabbed another tailful of rocks and launched them towards Chimchar at a fast rate.

'_Now what will you do, Menma?'_ Iruka thought as the rocks began to close in on the Chimp Pokemon. Naruto, however, kept calm.

'_The same way we practiced it, Chimchar…'_ His thoughts echoed in his head before opening his mouth.

"Tsk… Shield yourself with **Thunderpunch**, Chimchar!" Naruto called out, and Chimchar began to clench its hand tightly. When the rocks finally closed into a tomb, a blue light glowed from within and suddenly exploded. Iruka's eyes widened when he saw pebbles and dust fly downwards with Chimchar without a scratch landing on its own feet and getting back towards its stance. The main factor that he was distracted about, was the sparks that flew around the area of the explosion, and Chimchar crackling with blue lightning, almost like a current… **(4)**

'…_Or a barrier…!'_ Iruka deduced by looking at it. It was a smart idea using electricity to cover and instantly shield yourself, but to be able to do such a thing was using an Electric-type Pokemon or… _'That Chimchar really is good with using lightning… But why not fire…? Something is definitely wrong with that Chimchar.'_

"Chimchar! Use a quick **Focus Punch**!" Naruto commanded, and Chimchar went for an open strike with its glowing fists. Iruka did not have time to snap out of it and issue a command before seeing Onix being smacked by a **Focus Punch** on its face by Chimchar suddenly appearing there.

'_Fast!'_ Iruka thought to himself, but Naruto isn't done yet.

"Keep going with the **Focus Punches**, Chimchar!" Naruto called, and Chimchar began a rapid succession of Focus Punches on Onix's face.

"No! Onix, use **Rock Polish** and shake it off!" Iruka frantically commanded. Onix painfully began to twist its own rock components around, including its head. That threw Chimchar off and made it dash back to the other side of the field.

'_Dang… now it's fast… What can I do now?'_ Naruto narrowed his eyes and Chimchar went back to its stance. His gut twitched and twisted in a way that is foreboding. It is almost as if something was coming. Suddenly, Iruka's voice was heard.

"Now, Onix! Ram with **Double Edge**!"

'_Double Edge?! That dangerous attack?!'_ Naruto was shocked by the powerful move Iruka's Onix has up its arsenal. The now shinier Onix began to charge at full speed, glowing white, and head first.

"Chimchar! Use **Acrobatics **and **Focus Punch** and get out of there!" Naruto called desperately. It would be the end of Chimchar if it got hit. The Chimp desperately charged **Focus Punches** on both hands and immediately swerved to its right with the speed of **Acrobatics**. Onix however veered its large head to its left, towards Chimchar. It would have got the Chimp, if Chimchar hadn't spun in both of its feet and slammed both **Focus Punches** at the left of Onix's face, causing the Onix to continue its direction, pass the Chimchar like Saffron's Magnet Train and crash into the wall **(5)**.

"Again! Wrap it up, Onix, with **Double Edge** again!" Iruka commanded again. The rubble that was caused by the first attack began to shake again as the Onix came out glowing white again and charging at the Chimp.

'_Damn! Don't have a choice now, Chimchar!'_ Naruto gritted his teeth. He thought it was too early to show the secret techniques off now, but it looks like they are out of options now. He then opened his mouth to yell out a command.

**.o0o.**

"_Tell me, have you two ever meditated, or know what meditation is?" Both Naruto and Chimchar looked at each other and shook their heads. "Understandable, I only taught you how to train using the burning flames within, but nothing in meditation and kindling that flame within you. Meditation, by definition, is to relax your mind and to focus on one particular aspect, like a bird chirping or the river flowing or the wind flowing. That is partially correct." He then sat down and went into a meditative stance. "Come sit down."_

_The green spandex man patted two spots beside him, inviting both of them to sit down on the ground. Naruto and Chimchar did just that._

"Tell me. Have you ever heard of what the internal energy within ourselves is called?" Gai asked hypothetically, knowing that both little Naruto and young Chimchar did not know. "Understandable as well. You're still young and you haven't studied it. No matter, the energy within us is known as aura, or chi if you want to be scientific." **(6)**

"_Chi?" Naruto asked out loud, unfamiliar with the term. Both him and Chimchar adopted facial features that wanted more._

"_Yep! It's that energy that keeps us alive, like a life force! It is also our energy, where Pokemon use it for their attacks and moves, and humans use it in everyday activities." Gai explained with a smile (not with the shining teeth, luckily)._

"_Chim Chim Chim chaha?" Chimchar asked in its own Pokemon language._

"_Why we also call it aura? It's what scientists and field researchers use to define chi, used as a tool, weapon or sometimes a crutch by Aura users and specific Pokemon." Gai answered, then pulled out a Pokeball. The ball opened and a flash of light shaped a bipedal Pokemon with red eyes and blue and black fur. It has a beige torso, with a spike jutting out of it, and black 'hair' behind its head. A blue tail adorns its behind. Both its hands each have a spike on the back, and it almost looked like blue smoke coming out of those arms._

"_Lucah…" It calmly said, with a smile, only to see Naruto and Chimchar to drop their jaws in amazement._

"_Woowww…./Chiiiim…." They both said in awe, while Gai chuckled from their expressions._

"_This is Lucario, a Pokemon that is native the Sinnoh region. A Fighting/Steel type that has the ability to use Aura." Gai introduced Lucario who nodded. "Lucario here knows how to read minds and sense our actions around us, and can use Aura as a means to create projectiles and barriers. Lucario, demonstrate an __**Aura Sphere**__!" Gai commanded and Lucario placed its palms in close proximity of each other. After a moment, a blue orb became visible to Naruto and Chimchar, watching intently, and grew in size and power. After it became the size of a basketball, Lucario then launched it towards a lone tree and it blasted with such power that it exploded._

"_WOOOOOOW!/CHAAAAAAR!" Naruto and Chimchar both had stars in their eyes as they hopped out of their meditative seats as they saw the Aura Sphere. The idea of aura and firing __**Aura Spheres**__ really excited them._

"_Are we gonna learn how to do that, Bushybrow-sensei?!" Naruto excitedly asked as he and Chimchar literally bounced on the ground._

"_No." He bluntly responded with a smile, and both Naruto and Chimchar facefaulted immediately afterwards._

"_Aww…" They both had depressing storm clouds raining on their heads._

_"Now now, don't let those flames of youth burn out yet!" The bushy browed teacher reassured, which earned a shudder from both of his students, but they nevertheless got back up and sat back in a meditative stance._

_"Then what are we gonna use our chi for, sensei?" Naruto asked, with Chimchar nodding._

_"Allow me to explain, Naruto!" The sensei said. "While specific Pokemon and Aura users are able to use aura as a defensive tool in battle, people and Pokemon who can't learn it that way use chi to boost their strength. You see, chi is our strength. It is hard to stop the flow, but we can direct it to our limbs to give us a boost in strength in order to disrupt their flow of chi. When we punch, we are directing the flow of chi towards the target, of the intent of dealing external and internal damage. As we block, we are using our own flow of chi to stop their flow of chi. In order to reach and train in the power of chi, you must learn to meditate, regulate, and clear the pathways of your chi into your body in order to unlock what we are going to learn and train about for the rest of the day."_

_"What are we going to learn, Gai-sensei?" Naruto curiously asked. Maito Gai just smirked. _

_"You are going to begin learning the Eight Gates."_

**.o0o.**

"First gate, OPEN!"

Naruto commanded, and Chimchar smirked before gripping both of its fist. Suddenly, a large and quick burst of power erupted from Chimchar, its eyes and muscles bulging out. Both of its tightly gripped fists immediately glowed into **Focus Punches**. The Chimp Pokemon felt a new surge of power within its arms, and began to dash quickly towards Onix, who began to charge towards Chimchar with another **Double Edge**, this one more powerful than the last one. The two of them kept charging towards each other until Chimchar leapt high, higher than Onix.

"Go Chimchar! Show your flames of power! **Twin Dragonite Fists**! **(9)**" Naruto cheered. Chimchar then aimed both fists towards Onix's head. The Chimp then began to spin and rocket towards Onix. The glow from the **Focus Punches** left trails of light, giving the illusion of two blue faces that looked like Dragonites. It roared before crashing into Onix's **Double Edge**.

A power struggle ensued between them, almost neither side going to win. After a long tense moment (10 seconds actually), the struggle broke and Onix was knocked backwards and blasted by the **Twin Dragonite Fists**. A large explosion appeared with rubble flying everywhere. Naruto and Iruka shielded themselves before the dust cleared, to reveal Chimchar standing nearby the Onix, who had swirls on its eyes.

"ALRIGHT CHIMCHAR!" Naruto yelled happily, cheering, jumping for joy and running to hug his Chimchar, a little bruised, but still okay.

"CHIMCHAAAR!" Chimchar cheered as it jumped to hug Naruto. Iruka smiled, happy for them as he returned Onix, and watched them hug. But for some reason, the room began to shine a little.

'Congratulations, Menma. You certainly have a unique Chimchar, eh?' Iruka chuckled a little, almost giving a reminiscence from 3 years ago. That scene reminded him of a boy long ago, but before he could question it…

'Huh?' Iruka noticed something glowing behind the hugging scene of Menma and Chimchar. Almost like… a sunset and ocean? Suddenly, his eyes began to burn.

"MY EYES! MY EYES!" The Pewter Gym Leader screamed before turning away, his eyes burning from behind the sockets. **(10)**

"Eh? Iruka-san?" Naruto asked, confused and a little worried on what made Iruka act in a painful way. He jogged to the scarred man, who at this point stopped screaming and was now panting, with Chimchar in tow. "What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh! Menma-san, i-it's… nothing. It's just… something I saw." Iruka brushed it off, although his eyes looked bloodshot. He never thought a sunset and a hug looked painful (literally). Naruto and Chimchar tilted their heads in confusion.

'What's got him confused?/Chim?' Both of them thought and shrugged.

"Anyway, that was some great battling there Menma-san!" Iruka praised, earning big smiles from Naruto and Chimchar. "You really have bonded with your Pokemon well, and you make effective strategies for your Pokemon to follow real easily! Plus, I've never seen that style of battling with your Chimchar! I'd give you full marks if I was your sensei!" Iruka had his hand on his chin with an impressed look in his eyes.

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei. It was a pleasure battling you!" Naruto said, with Chimchar stating the same in its language, and made a fist on his right hand and covered it with his left hand and bowed. Chimchar did the same hand sign and bow. Iruka gave a small chuckle at the sensei honorific. However, for some reason, he thought he saw a shine of blond on the individual in front of him.

'Yeah… You remind me of Naruto…' Iruka thought, but decided not to press into that issue. He then pulled something out of his pocket.

"My pleasure, Menma-san. Anyway, as the Gym Leader of Pewter City, I hereby offer you this Boulder Badge! Take care of it." Iruka stated, while he opened his hand to reveal a badge, the size of a big toenail, to Naruto, who had stars in his eyes. It was in the shape of an octagon, with eight 'hills from each side caving upwards to the summit, which was a flat octagon. The badge was also in a gray colour, giving Naruto a feeling as if he conquered even the toughest Rock Pokemon.

"Thanks again, Iruka-sensei…" Menma thanked again. Chimchar nodded as well.

"Alright. Now your next step is to go out and find other Gyms to conquer around Kanto before taking on the Elite Four!" Iruka stated, in a teacher-like voice. Naruto nodded as if he was in class again. "Although I'm pretty sure you already knew that, since you registered for the Pokemon League, but hey! It's for good measure that I tell you this!"

"Yeah, I know! Thanks Iruka-sens-!" Naruto paused for a second there like time froze. He just came in the Pewter City Gym to battle and win the badge and become Champ after the League but…

"AAAAAUGH!" Naruto cried. "I FORGOT TO REGISTER!"

Sigh… it seems no one ever tells Menma these things.

* * *

><p><strong>(1) Something to tie themselves with Gai that isn't just his martial arts. Plus flames of youth sounds like it should be for the retirement home.<br>**

**(2) For some reason, Rock is always the first gym people go to, since it is 'easy'. They will feel like they became the weakest Gym Leader of them all (especially Brock because he kept the stupid Onix at the World Tournament in BW2).**

**(3) It's Rock Lee's stance.**

**(4) You know the Chidori Nagashi that Sasuke uses?**

**(5) Think of how a Tai Chi Chuan user uses his moves. In Taoist religion, harmony cannot be stopped, no matter how hard or fast it goes. In this concept, I'm using it TO AN EXTENT. In Chimchar and Naruto's case, you can't stop anything if you are not prepared for it. So let it pass by you and get out of the way. Lead them towards that direction by pushing them our of your way, or standing far enough a distance between you and them. That is how Tai Chi works. You let the energy (kinetic energy in this case) continue on its path, but move yourself out of the way and let inertia do its work.  
><strong>

**(6) I'm plannin to have the Goken be more of a balanced usage of both muscle and chi, or aura. Aura is basically life force used as a tool for specific users of Aura, like Lucario and Riley in the anime. Chi is the same thing, except for people who cannot use it, with Gai, Naruto, Chimchar, and many others like them. It's just that saying aura and chi are two different words, but they mean similar things. Aura for aura users, and chi for non-aura users. The only difference is that aura is dealt with more defensive uses and emotional trainer, while chi is used for more offensive options and deals with physical strength.**

**(7) Chimchar and Naruto will NOT UTILIZE AURA! IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED! (At least for now in Naruto's case. I don't think he will be firing Aura Spheres like a bullet anytime soon...)**

**(8) Almost like the Eight Gates in the Naruto series, you force chi into certain 'gates' in your body which opens up and pumps you with strength. The names of the Gates will be the same, and the concept is the same as well. Instead of chakra however, it is chi.**

**(9) Original move.**

**(10) What exactly IS the 'flames burning hot' without this unbreakable genjutsu? XD**

**Hello everybody! Irate here, with another long-ass chapter of Failures' Journey! I'm surprised by the amount of followers I've gained, but not very surprised about the reviews. I didn't get much out of a 1000 word introduction (I did mention that it was an introduction, right?)**

**So now you know how Chimchar works. He's more of a Fighting-type than a Fire-type. His moveset is Focus Punch, Acrobatics, Grass Knot, and his main one Thunderpunch. Now I hope you guys don't mind, but I'm going to mix Rock Lee's style of fighting with Sasuke's Chidori jutsus and Kakashi's Raikiri. Even though Chimchar did not show it off in this chapter, keep in mind that this is a Rock Gym with Ground types. I don't want to break any rules of Pokemon, like Ground type Pokemon affected by Electric moves, or Pokemon carrying more than four moves. It just doesn't work.**

**Did you guys expect Brock to be in this? Nope! That's not how I do it. I want the Naruto characters to be featured in this! I want them to fit in! I wonder if you guys did not expect Iruka-sensei to fill in the role as Pewter Gym Leader. It would possibly be better if it was Mizuki, but I don't know how to fit him in.**

**So do you like or no like? Do you want anything changed or requested? Tell me in a review, and I'll do the best I can. Favourite, follow, complement and criticize however you wish. Just no flaming, because Chimchar certainly can't breathe any.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or Naruto. However, the twists are all me.**


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